Sewing-machine attachment.



A. H. DE VOB.

- 8BWING MACHINE ATTAOHMENT.

APPLIOATION rmnn OOT. 5.100s.

992,942. Patented May 23, 1911.

n4: NQRRII PETER: can. WAsmNumN, a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT H. DE VOE, 0F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANU-FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SEWING-MACHINE ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. DE Von, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-MachineAttachments, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in sewing machine attachmentsfor turning under the edges of a strip of material preparatory tostitching the inturned edges to permit the same to be used as a band orstrap for articles of clothing or for other purposes.

comprises a strip-guiding channel-member contracted toward its forwardor delivery end and divided so as to form independent spaced side-wallsgaged to the desired width of the folded strip, the rearward portion ofsuch channel-member inclosing a spacing block to which is applied therearward or shank portion of a supporting member formed in its forwardportion with a tapering spring-tongue embraced by and spaced from thewalls of the-guiding channel-member, such tongue being providedcentrally with a depending guide-fin whose forward portion enters acentral feed-clog aperture in thethroat-plate and a clearance slot inthe feed-dog to prevent the material working beneath the same in theoperation of the machine. The presser-foot is formed with an upturnedtongue in advance of the needle apertures normally entering the spaceintermediate the parallel side-walls of the stripguiding channel in itsforward end portion, rearward of which the latter is provided withinturned wings overhanging the guideway of the channel member tomaintain the strip therein in the edge-turning operation, in which thetapering spring tongue, laterally notched at its base to receive themarginal portions of the strip, serves as a yielding supporting arbor,while its depending fin affords a stop for the inturned edges of fabricto insure the central location of their opposed edges beneath the bodyof the strip.

The strip-guiding channel-member is divided centrally through thegreater part of its length, and the shank of the inclosed springtongueis reduced to permit the lateral yield of the side-walls, whose spacingapart is controlled by adjusting screws passing through the side-wallsand tapped into the edges of the spacing block.

By fitting the delivery portions of the side-walls to the forwardportion of the presser-foot and the depending fin of the inclosedspring-tongue withinv the throatplate and feed-dog, it will be observedthat the material is very accurately controlled in its presentation tothe stitch-forming mecha nism without close attention on the part of theoperator, producing with certainty a folded band of uniform width andwith its inturned marginal portions symmetrically stitched in place.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a partof the forward portion of a sewing machine provided with the presentimprovements; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of thefolding attachment with the cooperating parts of the sewing machine;Fig. 3 is a trans verse section of the folder through the ad justingscrews for controlling the width of the delivery end; Fig. 4 is an edgeview of the spring-tongue or arbor and the spacing block tilted slightlyto expose the lower faces of the same, and Fig. 5 is a front endelevation of the attachment with a portion of the sewing machinebed-plate represented in section. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of thefeed-dog with the throat-plate indicated in dotted lines, and Fig. 7 isa perspective view of the presser-foot taken from a point below the sameto expose its channeled and slotted lower face. Fig. 8 is a plan view ofthe throat-plate.

As represented in the drawings, the attachment is fitted to a Singer No.62 doublechain-stitch machine, which is constructed with the base 1supporting the work-plate 2 and an overhanging bracket-arm whose head 3only is partially shown. The machine is provided with the usualneedle-bar having needle-clamp 4 carrying the spaced needles 5cooperating with the usual loop-taker. To the lower end of thepresser-bar 6 is secured by means of the fastening screw 7 the shank 8of the presser-foot pivotally connected, by means of the transverse pin9,

to the foot-plate 10 having the upper side of its heel portion channeledto receive the lower end of the shank 8 and provided in its forward ortoe'portion in advance of the pivotal pin 9 with the spacedneedle-apertures 11 from the outer sides of which extend forwardly theparallel slots 12 intermediate which the sole is formed with a shallowgroove 13 and along the outer sides of which slots are disposed thedepending ribs 14 whose lower edges merge into the operative face of theheel portion, the ribs 14 forming a guiding channel for the folded stripdelivered by the folder.

The trougl1shaped channel-member 15 is formed of rectangularcross-section in its receiving end portion affording upturned parallelguide-lips 15 for the edges of the fiat strip introduced into theattachment, and is gradually contracted in its forward portion whereinthe upturned guide-lips are materially widened and turned inwardly toform confining wings 16 whose edges are spaced apart at first to exposethe middle portion of the strip for convenience in initially advancingthe forward end of the same to the stitch-forming devices and are thenextended toward each other at 17 to form an arch substantially coveringthe channel immediately in advance of the upturned toe portion of thepresser-foot, beyond which the channel terminates in the paralleledge-guiding side-walls in the form of standing ribs 18 entering thelongitudinal slots 12 in the presser-foot and extending into theneedle-apertures 11 of the latter in which their forward extremitiesembrace the paths of reciprocation of the needles 5. The bottom of thechannel-member 15 is divided along the central line from the forward endto a point 19 near the opposite end to afford flexibility to its opposedguiding parts and to enable the latter to be adjust ed as beforeindicated.

-The toe portion of the presser-foot is turned upwardly at its forwardend, and the slots 12 are extended into this upturned portion to permitthe ribs 18 to enter the slots beneath the unslotted extreme forward endof the foot. l/Vhen the parts are in operative relation the needleapertures 11 are closed on the outer sides to closely embrace theneedles by means of the ribs 18 of the channel member, and the weakeningeffect of the contraction or neck produced by them at the base of thetongue 10 intermediate the slots 12 is compensated for by the parallelside members 14 serving as braces joining the outer end of the tonguewith the body of the foot. 2

Within the bottom of the receiving end of the channel-member is insertedthe rectangular spacing block 20 to the upper side and outer end ofwhich is fitted the shank 21 of the arched tapering spring-tongue orarbor 22 embraced by and spaced from the walls of the edge-turningportion of the channelmember 15 by means of such block. The shank 21 iscontracted in its forward portion at 21 to afford a slight clearancespace beneath the same and the upturned guidelips of the channel-member,and the tongue 22 is laterally notched at 23 where its base joins theshank 21 to accommodate the marginal portions of the strip as they areturned under the tongue by the rounded side-walls of the channel-member15. The tongue 22 is provided with a depending central guidefin 24:passing through the slotted bottom of the guide-member 15 and a slot 2Oin the forward end of the spacing block 20 and having its forward endcut away upon the upper side to conform to the curvature of thepresser-foot and its lower edge formed with a projection 25 to enter thesteadying slit 26 formed in the top of the throat-plate 27 and enteringa clearance slot 28 formed intermediate the toothed advancework-engaging portion 29 of the feed-dog 30. The feed-dog is providedwith the usual serrated feeding members 31 beyond the needle paths, butis peculiar in the provision of an auxiliary central member 32 having aserrated feeding surface in advance of the clearance slot 28 andextending intermediate the needles 5, the throat-plate being providedwith feed-dog openings and needle apertures corresponding wlth sucharrangement.

The attachment is mounted upon an angular spring holding plate 33 bymeans of fastening screws 34 passing through the same and the bot-tom ofthe channel-member 15 and tapped into the spacing block 20, the foot 33of the holding plate having beveled edges fitted to a similarly shaped'slideway in the fastening plate 35 secured for slight lateraladjustment by means of screws 36 upon a suitable seat 37 formed in thecloth-plate 2. The holding plate is provided with lateral stop-lugs 38adapted to engage the front edge of the fastening plate 35 to insure thesetting of the attachment in its proper endwise relation to the cooperating parts of the sewing machine. As will be observed, the folder maybe readily detached from the machine by merely withdrawing the holdingslide-plate 33 from the plate 35 to which it is fitted.

To provide the desired independent lateral adjustment for the ribs 18 ofthe channel-member, threaded holes 39 are provided in the opposite edgesof the spacing block 20 to which are applied the adjusting screws 39passing through suitable apertures in the side-walls of thechannel-member, the tightening of which screws serves to draw thedelivery ends inwardly to contract the delivery orifice adjacent thestitchforming mechanism.

As indicated in dotted lines inFig. 2, the aperture in the plate 33entered by one of the fastening screws 34 is somewhat larger than thescrew so as to allow a small amount of clearance to permit of the slightlateral adjustment of the forward end of the folder upon its holdingplate so as to insure the proper register of the same with thestitch-forming mechanism.

. As represented in the drawings, the shank of the holding plate 33 isbent upward slightly and its seat for the folder corresponding inclinedto project the folder beneath the presser-foot at a slight inclination,whereby the folded strip is delivered to the stitch-forming mechanism ina more advantageous way than if the attachment were directed parallelwith the cloth-plate. By th s means, the two plies of material to bestltched together are deflected more nearly equally by their contactrespectively with the opposed operative faces of the presserfoot and thethroat-plate.

As the serrated feeding members 29 and 32 of the feed-dog are opposed tothe tongue 10 of the presser-foot intermediate the slots 12 and theportion between the needle-apertures 11, it will be observed that thefeed of the folded strip up to the stitch-forming mechanlsm is effectedwith certainty and without tendency to distortion of the yet unstitchedportion of the fabric while the provlslon of feed-dog andneedle-apertures 1n the throat-plate to correspond with the arrangementof needles and of the feeding surfaces of the feed-dog insures theproper support of the material in its travel over the throat-plate.Although the groove 13 in the lower face of the presserfoot is notessential to the operation of the device, it is preferable as it tendsto smooth out the folded strip in its advance to the stitch-formingmechanism. As will be observed, the longitudinal groove in thepresser-foot tongue 1O in advance of the needle-apertures 11 affords atransversely arched pressure surface intermediate the stitching linestending to receive any fullness intermediate the edges of the foldedstrip near the stitching point, while the merging of such groove orarched portion into the flat face of the tongue close to theneedle-apertures causes the crowding of such fullness in such manner asto press the edges of the strip firmly against the side-walls affordedby the ribs 18 of the channel-member just as it reaches the stitchingpoint, which insures uniform-- ity in the stitching.

In machines of the type represented in the drawings, employing twoneedles and a single cooperating looper arranged transversely of thedirection of feed, it is important that the throat-plate be providedwith a work-supporting tongue or chaining finger extended forwardly fromthe needleapertures around which the cross stitch produced by the tyinglooper-thread is laid, for which reason the forward and rearward centralfeeding members have been separated by agap in which the formation ofthe stitching has been effected. In such case the forward feeding member29 has been required, in connection with the class of at tachment hereindescribed, to force the initial end of the folded strip forwardlybeneath the presser-foot where it has been obstructed so as to renderthe clogging of the machine liable. By providing the member 32 in frontof the forward feeding surface intermediate the needles, the machine isadapted to readily handle short strips of fabric without any suchliability of 010g ging, the strips being stiffened by the stitchingsufficiently to be pushed forward by the feed-dog member 32 for theusual action of the rearward central feeding surface 31. Thisarrangement is particularly desirable in connection with the folding andstitching of narrow strips which have not sufficient width to comewithin the range of movement of the lateral feeding surfaces 31, which,with the wider strips are adapted to effectively advance the work acrossthe path of movement of the needles. As will be observed, the crosslooper-thread is laid not only beneath the tongue 27 x of thethroatplate but beneath the feed-dog member 32 which extends beyond theneedle-apertures of the throat-plate.

The present improvement is susceptible of material modification withoutdeparture from the invention, but the construction shown and describedherein is considered an effective embodiment thereof.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim hereinis 1. A sewing machine attachment comprising a strip-guiding channelmember formed at its delivery end with parallel edge-guiding walls withan intervening space, and a presserfoot constructed with a body portionand a forwardly extending tongue fitted between said edge-guiding wallsof the channel member and contracted at its base to form needleapertures adapted to be closed upon their outer sides by the inclosingwalls of the channel member, and a rigid connect-ion between the body ofsaid foot and the outer end of said tongue for bracing the latter.

2. A sewing machine attachment comprising a strip-guiding member formedat its delivery end with spaced standing parallel ribs affordingedge-guiding walls, and a presser-foot having an upturned forwardportion and provided with a plurality of needle apertures and withlongitudinal slots leading therefrom into said upturned forward portion,said slots being spaced apart correspondingly with and entered by thestanding ribs of the channel member.

3. A sewing machine attachment comprising a strip-guiding member formedat its delivery end with spaced parallel edge-guiding walls, and havingthe adjacent portions of said sidewalls inturned to form an arch abovethe guiding channel, and a presserfoot having an upturned toe-portionand provided with needle-apertures spaced correspondingly with saidedge-guiding walls and with longitudinal slots leading therefrom andthrough the upturned toe-portion and adapt-ed to register with andreceive said edge-guiding walls of the strip-guiding member.

4. A sewing machine attachment comprising a strip-guidingchannel-memberformed at its delivery end with spaced side-walls adapted for relativelateral adjustment, a longitudinally extending tongue embraced by saidchannel-member and spaced from the same in its forward portion andprovided with a central guide-fin, and means for adjusting the spacingof the side-walls of said channel-member toward and from the edges ofthe tongue.

5. A sewing machine attachment comprising a strip-guiding channcl-memberformed at its delivery end with spaced side-walls adapted for relativelateral adjustment, a longitudinally extending tongue embraced bysaidchannel-member, a spacing block to which said channel-member and tongueare secured at the receiving end of the attachment with the forwardportion of said tongue laterally spaced from said channelmember, andmeans applied to opposite sides of said block for efiectingindependently the lateral adjustment of the side-walls of thechannel-member in relation to the intermediate tongue.

6. A sewing machine attachment comprising a strip-guiding channel-memberformed at its delivery end with spaced side-walls adapted for relativelateral adjustment, a longitudinally extending tongue embraced by saidchannel-member, a spacing block to which said channel-member and tongueare secured at the receiving end of the attachment with the forwardportion of said tongue laterally spaced from said channelmember, andadjusting screws tapped into the opposite sides of said block andpassing through the side-walls of the channel-member whereby the lattermay be laterally adjusted in relation to the intermediate tongue.

7. A sewing machine attachment comprising a strip-guiding channel-memberlongitudinally slotted and formed at its delivery end with spacedside-walls, a longitudinally extending tongue embraced by said channelmember and provided with a depending guide-fin entering the slot in saidchannelmember, and means for securing said tongue within saidchannel-member.

8. A sewing machine attachment comprising a strip-guidingchannel-member, a longitudinally extending spring-tongue embraced bysaid channel-member and adapted to yield laterally within the same, anda longitudinal guide-fin also embraced by said channel-member andadapted to yield with said tongue relatively to the channel-member.

9. The combination withasewing machine comprising stitch-formingmechanism including a pair of spaced needles and feeding mechanism, ofan attachment comprising a strip-guiding channel-member formed at itsdelivery end with spaced side walls whose forward extremities normallyembrace the needle paths, and are adapted for relative lateraladjustment, a longitudinally extending tongue embraced by said channelmember and spaced from the same in its forward portion, means foradjusting the spacing of the side walls of said channel member towardand from the edges of the said'tongue, and a presser-foot formed withneedle apertures spaced correspondingly with said edge-guiding walls andwith longi tudinal slots embracing the forward portions of said sidewalls and with an intermediate tongue entering the space between thelatter.

10. A sewing machine attachment comprising a strip guidingchannel-member, a longitudinally extending tongue embraced by and spacedfrom the walls of said channel-member, a spacing block interposed be-,tween said channel-member and tongue at one end, a holding plate havingashank adapted for attachment to a sewing machine cloth-plate, andcommon means for securing upon the spacing block the channel-member andthe inclosed tongue and fastening the same for lateral adjustment uponsaid holding plate.

11. The combination with a sewing machine cloth-plate, of a fasteningplate secured thereto for lateral adjustment, and provided with anundercut slideway, a holding plate comprising a shank having a footportion fitted to said slideway in the fastening-plate, a strip -guidingchannelmember, a longitudinally extending tongue embraced by and spacedfrom the walls of said channel-member, a spacing block interposedbetween said channel-member and tongue at one end, and common means forsecuring upon the spacing block the channelmember and the inclosedtongue and fastening the same for lateral adjustment upon said holdingplate.

12. The combination with a sewing machine cloth-plate provided with aslideway and a throat-plate, of a holding plate having an inclinedshank'terminating in a foot-portion fitted to said slideway, astrip-guiding channel-member, a longitudinally extending tongue embracedby and spaced from the walls of said channeLmember and provided with adepending longitudinal guide-fin, a spacing block interposed betweensaid channel-member and tongue at one end and provided with a slitentered by one extremity of said guide-fin, and common means forsecuring upon the spacing block for relative lat eral adjustment thechannel-member and the inclosed tongue and for fastening said parts forlateral adjustment upon said holding plate.

13. The combination with a sewing machine comprising stitch-formingmechanism including a pair of spaced needles, and feeding mechanism, ofa strip-folding attachment comprising a channel-member terminating atits delivery end in spaced parallel side-walls whose forward extremitiesnormally embrace the needle-paths, and a resser-foot formed with needleapertures spaced correspondingly with said needles and provided withlongitudinal slots connected with said needle-apertures and entered bythe parallel side-walls at the delivery end of said attachment.

14. The combination with a sewing machine comprising stitch-formingmechanism including a pair of spaced reciprocating needles, feedingmechanism including a feeddog, and a throat-plate provided withneedle-apertures and a feed 0 ening in register respectively with saidnee les and feed-dog, of a strip-folding attachment comprising achannel-member having its delivery end extended into proximity with saidneedles, a longitudinally extending tongue embraced by and spaced fromthe walls of said channel-member, and a longitudinal guide-fin carriedby said ton ue and extended below the upper face of said throat-plate.

15. The combination with a sewing machine comprising stitch-formingmechanism including a pair of spaced reciprocating needles, feedingmechanism including a feeddog disposed in advance of the needle-pathsand provided with a clearance slot extending lengthwise thereof, and athroat-plate provided with needle-apertures and a feed opening inregister respectively with said needles and feed-dog, of a strip-foldingattachment comprising a channel-member having its delivery end extendedinto proximity with said needles, a longitudinally extending tongueembraced by and spaced from the walls of said channel -member, and alongitudinal guide-fin disposed beneath said tongue and extended throughsaid throat-plate into the clearance slot in the feed-dog.

16. The combination with a sewing machine comprising stitch-formingmechanism including a pair of spaced reciprocating needles, feedingmechanism including a feeddog having a serrated feeding surface disposedmainly in advance of and having a portion extended intermediate thepaths of reciprocation of said needles, and a throatplate formed withneedle-apertures and a work-supporting and stitch-receiving tongueextended forwardly from and detached at its forward extremity from thebody of the same and a feed-dog aperture extended into said tonguebetween the needles of a stripfolding attachment comprising achannelmember formed at its delivery end with spaced side-walls whoseextremities embrace said needle-paths, and a longitudinally ex tendingtongue embraced by and spaced from the walls of said channel-member.

17. The combination with a sewing machine comprising stitch-formingmechanism including a pair of spaced reciprocating needles, and feedingmechanism, of a strip-folding attachment comprising a channel-memberformed at its delivery end with laterally yielding spaced sidewallsnormally embracing said needle-paths, and a longitudinally extendingtongue embraced by and spaced from the walls of said channel-member, anda presser-foot entering the space intermediate the needles and theembracing side walls of the channel member.

18. The combination with a sewing machine comprising stitch-formingmechanism including a pair of spaced needles, and feeding mechanism, ofan attachment comprising a channel member terminating at its deliveryend in spaced side walls whose forward extremities normally embrace theneedle paths and a presser-foot formed with needle apertures spacedcorrespondingly with said needles and provided with longitudinal slotsentered by the side walls at the delivery end of said attachment andprovided intermediate said slots and in advance of the needle apertureswith a tongue having a transversely arched lower face merging into aflat portion extending between the needle apertures.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT H. DE VOE.

Witnesses:

H. A. KORNEMANN, Josnrrr F. JAQUITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

